69. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the planned recruitment within the Defence Forces for the years 2026-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60333/25]
Topics / Defence Forces
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsDefence Forces
1,115 questions from 105 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.
1,115
questions
1,048 written, 67 oral
105
TDs have asked
11
parties and groups
Independents counted together
6
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 9 |
| February 2025 | 58 |
| March 2025 | 27 |
| April 2025 | 23 |
| May 2025 | 47 |
| June 2025 | 83 |
| July 2025 | 55 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 91 |
| October 2025 | 36 |
| November 2025 | 77 |
| December 2025 | 85 |
| January 2026 | 33 |
| February 2026 | 120 |
| March 2026 | 34 |
| April 2026 | 30 |
| May 2026 | 108 |
| June 2026 | 74 |
| July 2026 | 87 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 24 |
| October 2026 | 14 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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80
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76
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41
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41
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39
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34
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30
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24
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
70. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the rationale for the decision to withdraw Defence Forces personnel from the MINURSO UN peacekeeping mission; whether there are any plans for Ireland to participate in that mission in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60369/25]
72. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the measures being taken to improve recruitment and retention within the Defence Forces in light of the €145 million increase in defence funding in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60423/25]
73. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the way in which the Reserve Defence Forces will benefit from the increased financial support provided in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60424/25]
74. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on the supports and funding for Defence Force veterans and their dependents as outlined in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60425/25]
75. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the role the Defence Forces will play in supporting EU defence cooperation initiatives during Ireland’s presidency of the council of the European Union in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60426/25]
238. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on when the ordnance cadetship competition is expected to reopen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58558/25]
239. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of ordnance cadetship posts that were allocated in each of the years 2023 and 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [58559/25]
240. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if unconscious bias training, quotas or participation targets relating to race, gender, ethnicity or religious status are in place for any activities or in recruitment for the Defence Forces. [58638/25]
245. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of cases currently pending against his Department from former and serving members of the Defence Forces in relation to the use of a drug (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59785/25]
246. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the total amount his Department has spent to date on legal costs, settlements, and compensation to former and current members of the Defence Forces in relation to cases concerning the use of a drug (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59786/25]
57. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the capital expenditure on Columb Barracks, Mullingar by his Department in 2024 and to date in 2025. [55780/25]
58. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the total expenditure by his Department for Columb Barracks, Mullingar, excluding capital; and a breakdown of the expenditure. [55781/25]
224. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the Defence Force’s expenditure on advertising, with details of the objective, duration, social media platforms, reach, audience, CTR and cost of each social media advertising campaign, in each of the years 2023 to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54678/25]
226. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 191 of 18 February 2025, the progress which has been made regarding a review of the findings of the Study Group on Defence Forces Standards of Colour Deficiency being carried out by the military authorities; if they have engaged with his Department on the matter; and when they will engage with the Defence F…
227. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress that has been made by his Department on the future of Nenagh Military Barracks since his Department met with this Deputy and Deputy Ryan O'Meara along with local councillors on the issue. [54872/25]
228. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the exclusion of Defence Forces members from WRC remedies under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 is intended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54892/25]
50. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of females who are currently in cadetship training in each of the three branches of the Permanent Defence Forces. [53357/25]
51. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the plans for increasing pay and pension levels for members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53495/25]
52. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the progress of recruitment campaigns for school leavers into careers in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53496/25]
53. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if consideration is being given to reopening the Irish Army apprentice school in Devoy barracks as part of the expansion in recruitment of the Defence forces. [53497/25]
54. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if consideration is being given to holding specific recruitment campaigns for people in other sectors and in mid and later career stages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53498/25]
59. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if a new infrastructure development plan is envisaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53503/25]
60. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the role members of the Defence Forces will play in Ireland's holding of the Presidency of the European Union from July to December 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53504/25]
61. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the counter unmanned aerial vehicle capabilities the Defence Forces currently possess; if he will outline, in monetary value, the capital terms that have been invested by his Department in these capabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53601/25]